Antiseptic diaphragm for telephones



(No Model.) v E. WBSGHOKE.

ANTISEPTIG DIAPHRAGM FOB. TELEPHONES.

No. 553,633. Patented Jan. 23, 1896.

Fig. 7.

1/ :11 Y n K- UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

EMIL IVESGHCKE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, ASSIGNOR ONE-SIXTEENTH TO GEORGE IV. VAN ALSTINE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ANTISEPTIC DIAPHRAGM FOR TELEPHONES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 553,633, dated January 28, 1896.

Application filed May 9, 1895. Serial No. 548,740. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL TESCHCKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of Cali.- fornia, have invented a new and useful Antiseptic Diaphragm for Telephone and Speaking-Tube Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

It is a well-established fact that contagious diseasessuch as diphtheria, scarlet fever, small-pox, consumption, and other kindred diseases-are transmitted to the human family through the mouthpieces of telephones and other sou lid-conveying instruments by a variety of bacteria being deposited therein by constant use. Hence the object of my invention is to provide a means whereby such diseases are prevented and the mouthpiece of a telephone or other instrument may be used by any n umber of persons without fear of contagion.

'With this end and object in view my invention consists, essentially, in a medicated diaphragm having antiseptic qualities in its composition and which fits over the mouthpiece of the telephone through the medium of a cap or frame which holds the diaphragm in position over the mouthpiece.

The diaphragm is composed of one or more layers of silk or other fabric which has been treated or impregnated with a powerful germicidal compound non-decomposable and antiseptic without being poisonous to human beings. I have discovered in the application of this diaphragm to the mouthpiece of a telephone that the sound will in no wise be interrupted, neither will articulate speech be impaired, although the diaphragm and cap or frame entirely cover the opening of the mouthpiece, and if any dirt or dried mucus and sputum of a diseased person are already in the telephone or instrument there is the mechanical as well as the chemical preventive of contagion.

Each person using a telephone or tube is provided with a fresh diaphragm or disk and holder, which may be private property of the telephone company or tube-speaking public, as these diaphragms and holders maybe 1nanufactured and sold commercially either to the public or companies.

- In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front view of my medicated diaphragm. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the center of the diaphragm, showing the same in po-' sition on the mouthpiece of a telephone.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the parts in detail separated from one another.

The material or fabric which I employ for my medicated diaphragm A is preferably composed of silk, and several layers may be employed. This is thoroughly saturated or treatedwith the following antiseptic ingredients, mixed or compounded as set forth: ll hydronaphthol, oil cassia, aa, 3i; oil eucalyptus, acid salicylic, 5121, 3ii; phenol, camphor, aa, Bii; menthol, Eii; balsam fir, El; oil terebinth rectified, q. s., Eiv; h for saturation of the fabric. I do not confine myself, however, to the above formula, as other antiseptic ingredients will answer my purpose very well. In fact phenol alone would be a powerful antiseptic; but the ingredients in the above formula will produce a better compound for saturation that will notreadily decompose or evaporate, and will form a powerful germicidal glue that will adhere to the.

fabric for a long time and be perfectly harmless to the user. Vthen perfectly dry, the fabric is cut into disks o a and arranged in packages or boxes of a half-dozen each with a thin film of tarred or other paper between each two disks to prevent adhesion. Each of these packages is accompanied bya cap or holder B, stamped from some light metal, such as alumina or other suitable material, with a central opening 13 and a rim B the size of the cap and rim being such as to easily fit over and be adjusted to the mouthpiece of a telephone or a speaking-tube. The disks are laid flatwise in the cap, so that the rim of the mouthpiece will rest on and press against the disks. In this position the sound will pass through the disks without interruption.

These packages are put up and sold for a small sum, so as to be within reach of every one who uses a telephone, and no person need be compelled to use a diaphragm and cap that have been previously used by any other person.

By this preventive bacteria brought into contact with the telephone or diaphragm are rendered harmless and do not find a cultureground, and even the speakers breath is sterilized and filtered to such an extent that it loses all contagious properties.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a telephone or speaking tube a diaphragm composed of a fabric capable of absorbing an antiseptic cut into disks of suitable size to fit over the mouth-piece of a speech or sound transmitting instrument, and an annular cap adapted to press the edges of said dia- 

